Wed., 2:15 pm: Niles company looking to grow, add jobs

May 21, 2014

COLUMBIANA - The city is looking into creating an enterprise zone to offer incentives such as property tax abatements to non-retail businesses interested in locating here, or existing businesses looking to expand.

City Manager Lance Willard said he met with Columbiana County Port Authority CEO Tracy Drake and county Development Director Tad Herold after the last council meeting to discuss economic development.

"This really would be a helpful tool when prospective businesses call and ask us what incentives we have to attract them," Willard said.

He has also already spoken with Duane Reichard of Reichard Industries about how a zone would affect his company, which is looking to add a new facility to its South Main Street location. Reichard Industries currently has a facility in Niles.

"We would like to build in Columbiana. From a cost standpoint currently it is actually cheaper to build at our Niles facility, because the ground is already ready, you don't have to move sewers. Another option is to go down south," Reichard said.

The company wants to add to its Columbiana location mainly because the city has been "great to work with," he explained.

The creation of an enterprise zone would help the company expand, he added.